christusexemplar:

• Uni = One
• Verse = Spoken Word

Universe = One Spoken Word

BAM. Mind blown.

Someone actually said this in a sermon at one of the churches I attended.  Too bad it’s wrong.  The word derives from the Latin universum coined by Cicero — a man that predated Christianity by more than a century (106-43 BCE).  Thus, he didn’t have the so called word, Jesus Christ, in mind.  You interpret universe as meaning one word because it conveniently fits with John 1:1.  Unfortunately, the Gospel of John postdates the existence of Cicero.  Therefore, you must rely on the OT; however, it would be a stretch to say that Cicero was influenced by the OT when coining the term.  You’re just wrongfully connecting dots.  It’s a simple coincidence especially when considering that your “word” lacks a commonality with the universe — namely existence.  The universe exists; Christ does not.  Here’s a plausible thought though:  perhaps the pseudonymous writer of the Gospel of John was influenced by Cicero who was a Roman who was inspired by the Greeks who believed in the prime mover or the first cause, the source of “all-being” — “through [it] all things were made; without [it] nothing was made that has been made (John 1:3).  Simply put, the early Christians were influenced by the Romans who were influenced by the Greeks; thus, it may not be a coincidence.  However, it could have been written to serve a literary purpose and I think that is the more plausible conclusion given the details I have outlined.  Also, keep this in mind:  the writers of the Gospels spoke Greek and never mind that there’s a similar verse in Hindu scripture that predates John 1:1 by centuries.